Guide to the General Synod
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Guide to the General Synod OCTOBER 2015 Contents Foreword ................................................................................... 5 What is the General Synod? ..................................................... 6 When and where does the Synod meet? .................................. 7 Church House ........................................................................ 7 University of York .................................................................. 8 Dates of future groups of sessions ............................................ 8 Separate meetings of the Houses and the Convocations ......... 9 Resources ............................................................................... 10 What can I expect before a group of sessions? ...................... 10 Circulation of papers ............................................................ 10 Agenda ................................................................................ 11 Report from the Business Committee .................................. 11 Notice of amendments, following motions etc ..................... 11 Questions ............................................................................ 12 Notice papers ...................................................................... 12 Fringe meetings and displays .............................................. 13 Accommodation booking forms (July only) .......................... 13 What can I expect during a group of sessions? ...................... 14 Security passes ................................................................... 14 Voting cards and handsets .................................................. 15 Worship ............................................................................... 15 Business .................................................................................. 16 Order of business ................................................................ 16 Amendments and following motions .................................... 17 Private Members’ Motions ................................................... 17 Requests to speak ............................................................... 18 In the chamber ........................................................................ 19 Entering and leaving the chamber ....................................... 20 Speaking in debates ............................................................ 21 Indicators ............................................................................. 21 Voting .................................................................................. 22 Practical information ................................................................ 23 Information Desk ................................................................. 23 Letters and messages ......................................................... 24 Notice boards ...................................................................... 25 Statement of Business Done ............................................... 25 Report of Proceedings ......................................................... 25 Private Members’ Motions ................................................... 26 Disabled members ............................................................... 26 Toilets, Lifts and Cloakrooms .............................................. 27 Security ................................................................................ 27 Visitors ................................................................................. 28 Refreshments ...................................................................... 28 Smoking ............................................................................... 29 Mobile phones and other electronic equipment ................... 29 Photography ........................................................................ 29 Church House Bookshop ..................................................... 29 Staff and Useful contacts ........................................................ 30 Question Time: A guide for members .................................... 31 ‘Should I ask a Question?’ ................................................... 31 ‘Is my Question in order?’ .................................................... 32 ‘What is the deadline?’ ........................................................ 33 ‘How should Questions be submitted?’ ............................... 34 ‘Should I ask a supplementary question?’ ........................... 34 Instructions given by the Business Committee under Standing Order 37(f) for the conduct of divisions conducted by electronic means ..................................................................................... 36 Declaration of Interest: Recommended Code of Practice ...... 38 The Seven Principles of Public Life ......................................... 40 Foreword This Guide is intended to provide members, new and old, with basic information about the routine administrative details of the Synod’s working, and to indicate what facilities are available and where they can be found. The Guide is not concerned with procedural rules. What the Synod does and the ways in which it does them are a matter for the Synod’s Constitution and its Standing Orders, which are being sent to you separately, though it is consistent with them. Its purpose is rather to offer some practical guidance to those first few, often confusing, meetings in London and York. The Synod Team Church House, Westminster September 2015 5 What is the General Synod? The General Synod was created by the Synodical Government Measure 1969 as the successor body to the Church Assembly which had existed since 1919. The General Synod consists of the Convocations of Canterbury and York (the ancient provincial synods of the two provinces), joined together in a House of Bishops and a House of Clergy, with a House of Laity added to them. The General Synod's functions are set out in Article 6 of its Constitution. This is printed as Appendix D to the Synod’s Standing Orders. The Synod's business falls into a number of categories, each governed by its Standing Orders (SO): Legislative Business (SO 47-77): The Synod approves Measures (which, on receiving the Royal Assent, have the force and effect of Acts of Parliament), Canons and subordinate legislation (orders, regulations and instruments). Where legislation is not needed it makes provision by Acts of Synod (SO 41), regulations and other instruments. Liturgical Business (SO 78-90): The Synod also authorises forms of service for use in the Church of England. Scrutiny: The Synod receives annual reports from the Archbishops' Council and its Audit Committee (SO 106). At each group of sessions members can ask Questions of the central Church bodies (SO 112-117). Financial Business (SO108-111): The Synod approves the budget of the Archbishops' Council and the apportionment among the dioceses of the sums to be paid by the dioceses to the Archbishops’ Council. Other Business: The Synod's final function under its Constitution is 'to consider and express their opinion 6 on any other matters of religious or public interest.' Some motions are moved on behalf of central Church bodies, some are sent to the General Synod by diocesan synods (Diocesan Synod Motions – or DSMs – SO 7) and some are moved by individual members of the Synod with the support of other members (Private Members’ Motions – or PMMs – SO 6). When and where does the Synod meet? Under its Constitution, the Synod must meet at least twice a year. Under its present practice, one of these meetings is held during a working week in February in Church House, Westminster and the other residentially, over a long weekend in July at the University of York. In addition to these two meetings, a date in November is reserved for a shorter group of sessions for use only if there is urgent legislative or other business. Church House In London, the day on which meetings begin and end vary. In recent years it has generally been the custom for the Synod to begin on Monday afternoon and to end on Thursday, or, when necessary, on Friday. Morning sittings generally begin at 9.30 a.m. and end for lunch at 1.00 p.m. Afternoon sittings begin at 2.30 p.m. and go on until 7.00 p.m. Sittings may, however, be extended by up to fifteen minutes if the Synod agrees. The Business Committee is mindful of the desirability of finishing the final sitting of a group of sessions early enough to enable the majority of members to get home on the same day. Members arrange their own accommodation and meals when the Synod meets in London (a café is provided for breakfast, lunch and snacks) and reclaim their travel, 7 accommodation and subsistence expenses from their dioceses. Different arrangements for meeting the cost of expenses obviously apply to those members who do not represent a diocese. If you are a non-diocesan member and you are uncertain what these arrangements are, please contact the Synod Office (details at the back of this booklet). University of York The July group of sessions at the University of York is held over a long weekend, usually beginning on Friday afternoon and continuing until the following Monday or Tuesday. Sittings at York usually run from 9.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m., 2.30 p.m. to 6.15 p.m. and from 8.30 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. Again, sittings can be extended by up to fifteen minutes with the agreement of the Synod. Every effort is made to ensure that the final sitting of the group of sessions ends early enough to enable members to get home on the